High fever without symptoms in children causes a lot of anxiety. Seasonal ailments and colds are predominantly accompanied by fever, and in these cases the approximate algorithm of action is clear. But what should parents do if their child has a fever without symptoms? The reasons can be really very serious, so let's try to figure them out.
Even with a minimal increase in body temperature, the first thing they pay attention to is the presence of signs of a cold (runny nose, cough, pain, sore throat). However, in the absence of such, the version of SARS is thrown aside. At the same time, there is also no need to worry and panic ahead of time: the children's body can behave very unpredictably, so hyperthermia sometimes occurs for quite harmless reasons. A high temperature in a child without symptoms is not a reason to worry, but to see a doctor as soon as possible and get tested.
Cold
Heating the body isthe natural response of the immune system to infection. If the immune system actively fights the pathogen, the level of lymphocytes in the blood increases, and with it the thermometer rises to subfebrile or higher values. It is possible that with acute respiratory infections, the temperature of the child will remain within the normal range.
At the same time, it is impossible to say for sure that a high temperature in a child without symptoms of a respiratory disease is definitely not a cold. Often, a fever becomes a harbinger of the onset of a typical "triad": redness of the throat, runny nose, cough.
Respiratory symptoms appear fairly quickly. By the way, rhinitis often indicates the viral nature of the disease. In this case, we are talking about the situation when a child has a high temperature for about a week without symptoms. Komarovsky, a well-known pediatrician, in such situations recommends that you definitely show the baby to the pediatrician, since a strong fever, regardless of the cause that caused it, is in itself dangerous for the child.
Flu
Unlike ordinary respiratory infections, this disease threatens not only the he alth but also the life of young children, as its virus can cause severe intoxication of the body and cause serious complications. Influenza often begins like this - a sudden increase in body temperature up to 39 ° C, while concomitant manifestations may be absent for several more days. Flu fever accompanied by:
- general malaise;
- great chills;
- weakness;
- muscle and headaches;
- bone ache.
Catarrhal influenza symptoms in the form of nasal congestion, sore throat occur 3-6 days after infection.
Infections in children
High fever without symptoms can signal infection with one of these ailments, such as:
- chickenpox;
- mumps (mumps);
- rubella;
- whooping cough;
- measles.
It often happens that the disease does not manifest itself in any way, but soon, in addition to high fever, other signs of infection appear:
- rash;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- barking cough.
Inflammatory diseases
High fever in children without symptoms may indicate an acute inflammatory process in the body. For example, hyperthermia is caused by:
- angina;
- sinusitis;
- otitis media;
- adenoiditis;
- pericarditis;
- pneumonia;
- cystitis;
- pyelonephritis.
Any bacterial inflammation in the body has its own specific signs (with cystitis - cramps during urination, with pneumonia - shortness of breath, with sinusitis - nasal congestion, etc.), but at the initial stage they can be smeared. If the fever occurs without any additional signs of the disease, and the child is not yet able to explain what is bothering him, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Any of the abovedisease carries a danger to the baby.
What else can cause a fever
If inflammation and infection are not detected, and the baby continues to have hyperthermia, it is necessary to undergo an examination for blood diseases and oncological pathologies. Even children are not immune from cancer processes, and, unfortunately, in most cases they proceed latently, manifesting themselves only as an increase in temperature. Over time, the child's condition worsens, he loses his appetite, interest in games, looks exhausted and weak. Blood diseases, in addition to persistent fever, may be indicated by signs such as the causeless appearance of subcutaneous hemorrhages (bruises) on the legs.
Without symptoms, a high temperature in a child (39 oC and above) can be caused by endocrine and autoimmune diseases, such as lupus erythematosus, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis. Hyperthermia can be the result of traveling to exotic countries - not only children, but also adults often “bring” malaria, tick-borne borreliosis, Coxsackie virus from vacations at resorts.
Fever without disease
At the same time, do not forget that a high temperature without symptoms in a child aged 2 years or older is not always pathological. The immune defense of babies is unstable, so hyperthermia can become a reaction even to safe factors, for example:
- extended sun exposure;
- stress;
- change of climate zone;
- long drive;
- food allergy.
Vaccination is another of the mostcommon causes of high fever in an asymptomatic child. At 2 years old, babies are especially difficult to tolerate DTP.
In addition, fever can be observed with the active growth of milk teeth.
Is it necessary to bring down the temperature
Most often, doctors recommend that parents not give their child antipyretics if the mark on the thermometer does not reach 38.5-38.6 ° C. The body temperature rises due to a sharp activation of the immune system: in response to inflammation, the introduction of a viral or bacterial infection, the production of lymphocytes increases. Their increase in the blood affects the thermoregulatory center of the brain. As a result, the body temperature rises to a level at which the pathogenic microflora loses its viability: the protein structures of pathogenic microorganisms fold, which leads to the death of pathogens. In addition, heat accelerates all metabolic processes in the body, helping it to cope with the disease faster.
Consequently, in no case should you try to bring down the temperature by any available means at the first signs of its increase - this will only prevent the immune system from fighting the infection, and taking antipyretics will distort the true clinical picture. However, we must not forget that a high temperature without symptoms (from 39 ° C) in a child can harm his body. With prolonged fever, the processes of coagulation of the protein present in the structure of the tissues of our body are launched. In severe cases, irreversible damage is possiblebrain, resulting in death.
When to give antipyretics
Meanwhile, it is far from always necessary to endure a high temperature without other symptoms. In a child with neurological and cardiovascular diseases, hyperthermia can lead to a worsening of the condition. In this case, it is necessary to give an antipyretic, regardless of whether the thermometer exceeds 38.5 ° C or not. If the baby is very weak, complains of pain, has convulsions, vomiting or diarrhea, it is important not only to bring down the fever, but also urgently call the doctors to the house.
If the fever is provoked by a cold, and the he alth of the little patient does not suffer much, it is better not to hurry with the use of antipyretics. After all, all that a child needs during this period is bed rest, normal ventilation of the air in the room and plenty of fluids.
Examination
With a high temperature without symptoms in a child under 1 year old, self-treatment is unacceptable. Parents should monitor the degree of hyperthermia, and if the indicators increase, give the child an antipyretic, then immediately contact the pediatrician.
At the appointment, the specialist will try to find out the etiology of high fever without symptoms. A child of one year or older will definitely be prescribed tests, but in addition to this, it is important to understand:
- how long the fever lasts;
- how did the temperature rise, abruptly or in stages;
- what precededthe appearance of heat (overheating of the body, hypothermia, contact with animals, food poisoning, etc.);
- what did the child get sick recently;
- does he have a tendency to allergies;
- Are there any problems with urination and defecation.
Parents of the baby need to carefully monitor his condition, note minimal changes in well-being, tell the doctor about complaints. The pediatrician will definitely examine the body of a small patient for rashes, catarrhal symptoms, measure the temperature, listen to the heartbeat and prescribe diagnostic procedures:
- detailed blood test;
- urinalysis;
- nasopharyngeal swab;
- radiography;
- fluorography;
- Ultrasound of internal organs;
- bacteriological culture (urine, blood, smear);
- CT or MRI;
- ECG;
- PCR diagnostics, cytology, histology, etc.
The list of studies is compiled on an individual basis, taking into account the age, he alth of the child, symptoms and presumptive diagnosis. If the parents tried to treat the child on their own, giving him medications at their discretion, the clinical picture of the disease may be unreliable, which will complicate the process of making a diagnosis. At the same time, it is impossible to hide information about self-treatment from the doctor.
How to help a child with a fever without symptoms
From the age of 3, there are many ways to fight fever. The task of parents is to facilitate the well-being of the baby before the arrival of an ambulance or a doctor's appointment at home. Importantavoid extreme readings on the thermometer, but if the temperature has reached 38.5 ° C, it is recommended to start with the use of non-drug remedies.
Cherished 36, 6 ° C is not quite the goal that parents need to set for themselves. A sharp decrease in temperature will not benefit the child, but rather the opposite. To alleviate the condition of the baby, it is enough to reduce the heat by 1-2 degrees - this will minimize the load on the cardiovascular system. You should not bring down the temperature in too radical ways: wrap the child with bottles of cold water, do enemas, apply wet sheets to the body. All this can lead to a sudden vasospasm, which subsequently only slows down blood circulation and prevents full heat transfer.
Komarovsky E. O., an authoritative children's specialist, which was already mentioned above, is of the same opinion. A pediatrician, well-known in Russia and Ukraine, recommends not giving the child antipyretic drugs, but creating the most favorable conditions for him, under which his body can cool itself.
To do this, the patient should be in a cool room, be lightly dressed and covered with a thin blanket that guarantees air circulation and does not prevent sweat from evaporating. The positive point is just profuse sweating. Due to the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the skin, body temperature decreases. After the child sweats, he needs to be changed.
Tostart the process of active sweating, you need to give the baby a lot of warm drink. Boiled water, weak herbal tea or a decoction of raisins are suitable for babies. For a high temperature without symptoms, a child 4 years of age or older can be given dried fruit compote. By the way, raspberry tea, with which many parents begin to solder their children for any signs of malaise and colds, does not belong to this category, since it has the opposite effect, causing fluid loss. Raspberry tea is completely contraindicated for children of the first year of life, and after a year the drink can only be given with the permission of a doctor in limited quantities.
If the child feels generally satisfactory, you can allow him to walk in the fresh air. You can go outside only in case of warm comfortable weather. It is better to refuse a walk in hot, windy, frosty weather. Until the causes of high temperature are clarified, it is advisable to exclude thermal procedures and bathing.
In the old fashioned way, many mothers with a high temperature without symptoms in a child at 5 years old use a solution of cold water and vinegar. No doctor will advise you to do this! It is enough to wipe the child with a damp towel dipped in moderately cool water.
Why drink plenty of fluids
A few more words about the role of water consumption at high temperature in humans. With hyperthermia, sweat is abundantly released, so the body loses moisture. In order to prevent dehydration, which will inevitably lead to a deterioration in well-being, it is importantplentiful and frequent drinking. Meanwhile, the liquid consumed should be at almost the same temperature as the body temperature - this way water will quickly get from the digestive tract to the lymph.
In addition to water, it is recommended to give children cranberry juice, lingonberry and currant juice, rosehip broth, linden tea, still mineral water with alkali without gas. By and large, any drink that the child will drink will do. The main thing is that the liquid enters the body at least one teaspoon every 5 minutes.
Drug therapy
As for the use of antipyretics, they are best given when all other methods have shown to be ineffective. It is necessary to reduce the temperature with medicines in case of:
- hyperthermia intolerance;
- presence of severe chronic diseases;
- she exceeds the 39-degree mark.
Among the drugs that can be given to children on their own to reduce the temperature, it is worth noting drugs based on paracetamol, ibuprofen, analgin, papaverine hydrochloride. Most of these remedies can even be given to infants. In addition to the antipyretic effect, the drugs also have an anti-inflammatory effect. As a rule, medicines for children are produced in the form of a suspension, syrup, tablets and suppositories. The most popular include:
- "Paracetomol";
- Panadol;
- "Tsefekon";
- Kalpon;
- "Efferalgan";
- "Nurofen";
- "Ibufen";
- Analdim;
- "Papaverine".
It is impossible to use antipyretic drugs for a long time. It is important to understand that the elimination of fever in the absence of other symptoms is not a victory over the disease, but only a short-term relief for the child. The specialist will definitely refer you to the appropriate diagnostics in order to make the correct diagnosis. Based on the results of the study, it will be possible to talk about the appointment of correct and effective therapy. Self-medication at home can worsen the condition of the baby. It is important not to waste precious time and contact your pediatrician immediately to avoid possible complications.
